My Old Hero

181: Erase No Shame

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" Izuku asked sweetly. 

Katsuki blinked a few times, not sure how exactly to respond, so she sat next to him anyway. 

"You don't mind if I drink with you either, right?" Izuku asked. 

As the bartender came over with another shot glass and another bottle of Sake! 

She opened the bottle, poured herself a shot and took it straight away, and squeezed her eyes shut as she took the strong liquor. 

"Hah- that was nice! I haven't had a drink with someone in so long. I'm sure you've been here for a while so the drink has jaded you a bit, but this is nice." Izuku said, about to pour another.

But Katsuki placed his hand onto hers and stopped her from pouring the drink. 

She looked up at him, his deep Ruby red eyes staring at her. 

"Huh?" 

"Let... let me." Katsuki said, soon taking the bottle out of her hand and pouring a shot for her. 

She watched him as he finished pouring and placed the bottle back onto the bar. 

"The drink isn't jaded... when you drink with someone." Katsuki said, about to pour himself a shot. 

"Ah- let me pour you one then!" Izuku said, quickly taking his bottle out of his hand and pouring it for him.

Once they both had a shot glass full of Sake, they just looked at each other. 

"Well, to youth!" Izuku said, happily clinking his glass. He didn't respond, he just followed in taking his shot with her soon after. 

"You seemed a bit gloomy to be sitting here all by yourself, mind telling me what's on your mind?" Izuku asked. 

"Then why did you come to sit next to me?" Katsuki asked. 

"It's simple! I don't really like drinking alone, so seeing you sitting by yourself... I guess you needed the company." Izuku said happily. 

'Stop smiling like that.' Katsuki thought, trying to look away from her.

"I just finished going to a convention, and as much as I should be getting some rest... I saw you. I forgot how much things have changed in Japan, a lot more heroes are here than the last time I was here." Izuku said. 

"When was the last time you came here?" Katsuki asked, this was a test for him. 

"Hmm.... I actually used to live here, I left here and finished my studies in America when I was younger. So it's been a long time since I came here." Izuku said. 

'Long time huh?' Katsuki thought. 

"It's been so long that there's a different Number 1 hero, how crazy time flies." Izuku said. 

Time, that was something that didn't feel like it passed by any faster for Katsuki. He felt like he was trapped in time more than anything in this moment. 

"So what about you? Why're you sitting here alone?" Izuku asked. Katsuki took another shot and rubbed his hair. 

"I'm alone... because of a girl." Katsuki said. 

"A girl? Oh no, did you just get dumped? I'm so sorry to hear that!" Izuku said. 

"You could say that. They left me behind, didn't say when they'd be back, and haven't called me since they left... Now I'm here." Katsuki said. 

"Hmm, I know what that's like. There was a guy I met back in America who I dated for a while, but then things started getting hectic for the two of us. One day he just got up and went, and hasn't talked to me since that day." Izuku said, taking a shot.